Electrically-heated embossing-base.



J. H. SCHUSSLER. ELECTRICALLY HEATED EMBOSSING BASE.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

APPLlCATlON FILED FEB. 15, 1915.

J. H. SCHUSSLER.

. ELECTRICALLY HEATED EMBOSSING BASE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, 1915.

1,217,226. Patented Feb, 27,1917.

S SHEETS SHEET 2.

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JOHN H. SCHUSSLER, OF CHICAGQILLIN 'OIS, ASSIGNOR T0 ACME PRINTING APPLIANCE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO,': ILLINOIS, A CORI ORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ELECTBICALLY-HEATED EMBOSSING-IBASE.

Specification of Letters I'atent.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

Application filed February 15, 1915. Serial No. 8,307.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. SoHUssLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at hicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrically-Heated Embossing-Bases, of which the following is a specification.

his invention relates to electrically heated embossing bases orplates, and it has for its principal object to provide means whereby an improved grade of embossing may be done in an ordinary printing press. Owing to the fact that satisfactory embossing can e done only by means of a hot embossing plate it has been impossible to do good work on an ordinary printing press as there has been no means for heating the embossing plate and die. My invention provides an electrically heated embossing plate upon which any desired embossing die may be secured, and which may be secured to the bed with either a platen press or with h press. A further feature of my invention is the provision of means for varying the temperature of the embossing plate, as desired. Another important feature of my invention is the provision of improved means for securing the embossing die to the embossing base or plate. Still another object of my invention is to provide an improved embossing base of the kind above referred to which may be secured in the chase of a cylinder press, or a platen press. A further important object of my invention is to provide a device of this character in which the embossing die will be held in a position corresponding to the height of ordinary type in the press, regardless of the thickness of the die, and in which the heat will be largely kept away from the bed of the press against which the die-holding and heating device may be secured; and I also provide improved means for ventilating the bed of the press.

These and other features of my invention will be more particularly set forth in the following specification taken in connection with. the accompanying drawings in which I have illustrated a specific. embodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 shows a top plan view of my imbase or plate secured in position on the bed of a printing press and having two embossing dies secured to the upper side thereof;

Fig. 2 shows a bottom plan view of the embossing base illustrated in Fig. 1, the bottom cover-plate and the insulation being removed and certain details being shown in section; I

Fig. 3 shows a diagrammatic top plan view of my improved embossing base secured in position within the chase of a printing 1 Fig. 4 shows an enlarged sectional view taken along the line H of Fig. 1;

ig. 5 shows an enlarged detail sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1

Fig. 6 shows an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional detail view taken along the line 77 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of the locking key or Wrench; and

Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of a lock kingplate for use in securing the die on the ase.

Referring to the drawings, the bed of an ordinary printing press, designated generally by the numeral 10, is shown as comprising the parallel guides or end walls 11. at the opposite ends thereof, and a locking lever 12 pivotally mounted at the forward side thereof. My improved embossing base. designated generally by the numeral 13. is adapted to be detachably secured to the bed 10 and comprises a base plate or frame member 14 having theinterior chamber 15 which is normally closed by the bottom cover-plate The cover-plate 16 is secured to the base-plate or frame member 14 by means of screws 17 engaging threaded apertures 18 which are provided in the under-side of said frame member.

At each of its rear corners the frame member or base plate 14 is provided with an integral projection 19 which extends outwardly from said frame member along each lateral edge thereof, adjacent the corner. the portions 19 of said lugs along the ends of the base-plate being adapted to coact with the guides or end walls 11 of the bed 10. and serving to space the baseplate therefrom, while the portions 19 of the lugs which e:-:- tend along the rear side ofthe base-plate have their upper surfaces tapered or curved downwardly, as shown in hi 7, and are adapted to enact with the integral lugs 20 formed on the walls 11 for the purpose of retaining the base-plate in position. on the bed of the press. The lugs 20 which extend inwardly from the walls 11 overlap the portions 19 of the integral lugs 19 and are provided with surfaces 2O which coact with the edges of the lugs 19., when the base-plate is in position on the press. The base-plate is maintained in suchposition with the lugs 19 coacting with the integral projections 20 by means of the locking lever 12, which is provided with an inwardly extending hooked projection 12* adapted to extend over an integral projection 21, which is formed on the base-plate it on the opposite side from the lugs 19. llhe upper surface of the integral. projection 21 is curved downwardly, as shownin Fig. 7. similar to the upper surfaces of the portions 19* of the lugs 19, and the projegtion 21, as well as the portions 19", are made considerably longer than is necessary for the purpose of. looking the baseplate on the bed of the press shown in the drawings, in order that my improved baseplate may be. employed in connection with presses in which the locking means corresponding to the lugs 20 and lever 12 are diti erently located. Adjacent the forward c0rners of the baseplate are integral projections 22 similar to the portions 19 ot the lugs 19 and similarly located at the ends of the baseplate in order to space said plate from the guides or Walls 11. llt will be seen that the portions 19 and the projections 22 serve to provide air spaces 23 at each end of the base plate for a purpose to be herein after described.

Extending downwardly into the chamber 15 of the base-plate or frame member 1% are a plurality of parallel elongated lugs or projections 2d, shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 4;, which lugs are preferably rectangular in shape and arranged to coact with the corer-plate 16 which is secured thereto in the manner previously described. lhese lugs or projections 24, and also the lateral walls of the chamber 15, are provided on their lower surfaces with a plurality of integral circular projections 25 which extend downwardly through corresponding circular apertures 26 in the cover-plate 16 and some distance beyond said plate, being provided at their lower ends with plane surfaces which coact i' 'h the upper surface of the bed of the press. llt will be seen that the lugs 24 and. projections serve to firmly support the upper wall oi? the base-pl ate above the chamber so as to transmit any pressure ea;- erted upon the upper surface of said base plate to the bed of the press, and at the same time the lugs 25 projecting downwardly be yond the lower cover'plate 16 serve to proride an air space 26 which underlies the en coils 36, 37,

tire base-plate between the lugs 25, and

which communicates with the air spaces 23, above mentioned. at the ends of the baseplate so that a continuous circulation of air is provided parts carried thereby.

Upon referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the downwardly projecting rectangular lugs 24.- serve to divide the chamber 15 of the base plate into a plurality of parallel grooves or chambers 27 which com municate with similar grooves or chambers 28 which extend along the edges of the baseplate at the ends of the lugs 2%. ln order to provide the chambers 27 of suitable dimensions for a purpose to be hereinafter described, and in order to add strength to the structure while permitting a relative thinness of metal at the points 29, ll provide the walls of the chambers 27 and 28. substantially semi-circular in contour. as shown particularly in Figs. 4: and 6. This formation adds great strength to the structure and serves to transmit to the lugs 2a the pressure which is received by the base-plate above the chambers 27 and 22.

The chambers 27 and 28, generally referred to as the chamber 15, are filled with porcelain or other suitable insulating material which has embedded therein a plurality of interconnected electrical heating coils by means of which ll heat the embossing base and the parts carried thereby. These coils are arranged parallel to each other in the chambers 27, and are interconnected by means of electrical conductors extending through the chambers 28. lln order to provide means for heating the embossing base to different degrees of heat, as desired, l have arranged these coils in a plurality of circuits which may be connected in parallel to vary the number of coils which are in the operative circuit at any time. Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that the coils 30, 31., 32, 33, 34land 35 are connected in series to form one oi the pa 'allel circuits above mentioned; that the 88, 39 and t0 are connected in a series to form another of said parallel circuits; and that the coils ll l2, l3, at and 4-5 are connected in series to form the third of said parallel circuits. (inc extremity of each or the abovementioned parallel circuits is connected adjacent the proper err-- tremities oi": the coils 30., 36 and ll, respectively, to a terminal and the other extremity at the first mentioned circuit is connected from the'coil 35 to another terminal a7, and the supply of electric current is supplied to the circuits through these terminals. The lirstmentioned circuit is connected between the coils 82 and 33 t0 the common posts 48 of a three-post switch 48 by means of which the second and third parallel circuits are connected in parallel beneath the base-plate and the 'with the post 48 with portions of the first-mentioned circuit, The terminal of the second-mentioned circuit, opposite the terminal 47, is connected directly from the end of the coil to the intermediate split-post 48 of the switch 4.8 and the terminal mentioned circuit is connected directly to the third split-post 48 of the switch 48. The intermediate post -18 of the switch 48 is made considerably longer than the post 48 so that when the blade or knife 48 of said switch is partially closed it will contact second-mentioned circuit in parallel with a portion of the first-mentioned circuit without contacting with the third post 48 of the switclu thus leaving the third-mentioned circuit disconnected from the operative ciI'- cuit. as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings When the knife 48 of the switch is completely closed it will form a connection with the third post 18, and thereby connect the third-mentioned circuit in parallel with each of the other two circuits. In this way three degrees of heat are provided so that the degree of heating of the embossing base and die carried thereby may be regulated, as desired.

The supply terminals 4-6 and a? each comprises socket member 49, having an inwardly extending projection to which the prop r" conductors within the embossing base are electrically connected, and. this socket is carried is. insulated condition in a chamber formed in the insulating bloclr 50 which is provided with two cylindrical; portions 51 which into corresponding apertures in the wall of the embossing base so as to completely insulate the socket members 4%?) from the metal of the haseplate. The insulating hloclr 50 is secured to the base-plate by screws or other suitable means, and the apertures in the socket members 4-9 are adapted to be engaged by split plugs 52 of conducting material which are carried by a portable insulating block 53, and which are electrically connected to the conductors 5-l of the supply circuit. By this construction a convenient means is provided for making the connection to the circuits within the embossing base-plate after said base-plate has been assembled on the bed of the press-J. Each of the split-posts of the switch 48 is cylindrical in form and provided with an annular shoulder 55, which shoulder seats upon an insulating block 58 which the split-post threadedly engages and which is attached to the base-plate by screws or similar means. The lower portion of each post extends through the block 56 in alineinent with the central aperture of an insulating bushing 57. Each switch-post is further provided with a central aperture which receives a pin 58 of conducting material and each of these pins is secured in position by means of the set of the coil roof the thirdb and thereby connect the screws 59. The pins 58 extend inwardly into the chamber of the base-plate and have con nected thereto the proper partsof the parallel circuits above mentioned.

In order that my improved embossing ase may be used in any ordinar Y printing press in such manner that the embossing die carried thereby may be held at the height with respect to the bed of the press normally occupied by the usual type, I employ spacing plates 60 for the purpose of spacing the dies 61 and 62 from the upper surface of the base-plate proper. The spacing plate 60 is secured to the baseplate by means of screws 63 and is provided with a plurality of apertures 64.- extending therethrough and arranged in rows longitudinally and transversely of the said spacing plate, as shown particularly in Fig. 1. These apertures are countersunk or beveled outwardly at their upper extremities so that the heads of screws passing throhgh said apertures will so far as is necessary engage the holes in said plate. and said apertures are further arranged to aline with printing the rectangular projections 24, which extend downwardly in the chamber 15 of the base-plate, in order that said apertures 64 may register with threaded apertures 65, which extend downwardly into the projections 44 and also into the walls of the chamber 15 around the borders of the base-plate. I he purpose of a plurality of apertures 64 and 65 is to permit of the attachment to the spacing plate-and base-plate of emboss ing dies of varying size. This attachment is accomplished by means of a locking plate 66, (see Fig. 9), the outer contour of which is hexagonal in form and beveled from each face of the plate so as to provide a sharp projecting edge 67, which is adapted to bite into the edge of the embossing die when said locking plate is secured in position adjacent thereto, as shown particularly in Fig. 5. The locking plate 66 is provided with a circular aperture 68 which is nonsymmetrically located with respect to the lateral edges 68 of said plate so as to be spaced a different distance from each one of said lateral edges. Extending around the lower portion of the aperture 88 is an annular shoulder 68, which forms a seat for a locking disk 69, the upper surface of which lies flush with the upper surface of the plate 66, and which is provided with an eccentrically located aperture 70 of suitable form to be engaged by a screw 71. The screw Tl extends through one of the apertures 65 in the spacing plate and engages one of the threaded apertures 65 in the base plate. The eccentric locking disk 69 is further provided with a rectangular or other suitable aperture 72, which is adapted to be engaged by a wrench 73 having an extremity 73 of the same contour as said v a gonal contour,

. aperture.

By means of the construction above described, it will be seen that a very large variation in adjustment may be secured so as to secure a tight engagement between the locking plate 66 and the adjacent edge of the die which is to be secured upon the embossing base.

After selecting a suitable aperture 6 1 adjacent the edge of the the base, the non-symmetrical location of the aperture 68 in the plate 66 will permit six different degrees of adjustment by retating .the plate 66 so as edge 66 thereofinto'approximate engagement with the adjacent edge of the die. After this portion of the adjustment has been made the wrench 73 may be operated to rotate the eccentric disk 69 about the screw 71 until the edge of the plate 66 bites into or very tightly engages the edge of the die, after which the screw 71 is rotated to tightly clamp the parts of the locking mechanism to the spacing plate and base plate. that the annular shoulder 68 spaces the disk 69 from the upper surface of the spacing plate 60, so that the downward pressure ofthe head'ot the screw upon the locking disk operates to exert a very effective clamping pressure upon the locking plate 66. In order to lock the die securely upon the base it'is necessary to use a plurality of locking devices, above described, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and if desired, various forms of these locking devices may be employed; for instance, instead of using a locking plate having a hexll may use one which is rectangular in form, as shown for instance at 74:, having an aperture therethrough corresponding to the aperture 68 in the plate 66, this aperture being symmetrically located with respect to the lateral edges of the plate 74:, although it may be nonsymmetrically located, if desired. Another form of locking device, shown in Fig. 1, comprises a rectangular plate 75 which is provided with a non-symmetrically located aperture adapted to be a screw 7 6.

l have also shown another form of looking device in which the plate 66 is circular in form, being provided with a nonsymmetrically located circular aperture in all respects similar to the aperture 68 above described, which is adapted to be engaged by the disk 4E9, which in this case is centrally apertured. 'llhe key-way 72 in this form is provided in the plate 66". It will be apparentthat an exceedingly large range of adjustability may be had when this locking device is employed.

ll here it is desired to emboss two designs printed upon the same sheet, I may employ the two dies 61 662, for instance,

rear

die to be secured on to bring the proper Referring to Fig. 5, it will be seen directly engaged by after first locking one of the dies 61 in position, by means of the locking devices, so as to register with the print to be embossed by said die, the other die 62 is adjusted by means of the adjustable locking device above described until said die registers with the other print to be embossed upon the same sheet. The first die 61 to be secured in position may be locked by means of the plates 75, which permit a somewhatlimited degree of adjustability, and the plates 66 and 74, which permit a relatively large degree otadjustability, may then be used for moving the other die 62 into'proper register with the print to be embossed.

l have also provided a scoring rule 77, which has two or more slots 78 extending transversely thereof, and which is adapted to be secured to the embossing base by screws 79 engaging said slots and entering suitably located ones of the holes 64: and 65, above described. The up-turned edge 77 of the scoring rule is adapted to coact with a complementary member carried by another part ot the press in such manner as to introduce a. crimp or told line in the paper or fabric being embossed. lit will be evident that the adjustability permitted by the slots 78 and the plurality of holes 64% and will enable the operator to form the fold lines in any desired location. The edge 77 of the scoring rule 77 should preferably terminate at substantially the same height as the top surfaces, embossing ie's being used.

In some instances it may be desirable to use my improved embossing base in connection with the chase of aprinting press, such as a cylinder press, and in Fig. 3 of the drawings l have shown a chase 80 provided with the usual lateral walls or shoulders 81 and having my improved embossing base 13 secured therein by the usual printers furniture 82. As is well known, this furniture comprises a plurality of adjustable blocks or other means for tightly clamping the base in the chase, and l have merely shown one representation thereof for the purpose of illustrating this adaptation of my embossing base, and for the purpose of showing that the embossing base may be secured in a chase by this means without the furniture or other adjusting means interfering with the switch 48 or the integral projections 19, 21, and 22 of the embossing base.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that my improved embossing base may be conveniently and adjustably secured on the bed of an ordinary printing press and in such manner as to provide a free circulation of air around and beneath-the base so as to prevent the undue heating of the bed of the press and the lower part of the embossing base. .i it the time my improved electrical heating means permits of a very eil'ective heating of the upper part of the embossing base and the embossing dies carried thereby so that a very high grade of embossing may be done.- The use of the spacing plate 60 permits the location of the die in such manner that the upper part of the die will occupy the position normally occupied by the upper parts of the usual printing dies, and it will be understood that while I have shown a particular thickness of base plate, various thicknesses of plates may be used to correspond with the thickness of the die which is being employed in the particular embossing operation. In order to provide the widerange of adjustability with respect to the mounting of the dies, it isnecessary to limit the height of the baseplate 14, and it will be seen that the "substantially semi-circular contour of the chambers 15 permits a relative thinness of the metal at the points 29 so as to trans mit the pressure to the longitudinal projections 24 and thereby decrease the necemary height of the base plate 14 without detracting from the strength thereof. It will be seen that the thinness of metal at the points 29 also permits the heat generated in the electrical heating coils to be readily transmitted upwardly through the spacing plate to the embossing die or dies to be heated. Another important advantage of the invention lies in the improved means which I have provided for heating the embossing base to various difierent degrees of heat by connecting in the operative circuit a varying number of heating coils.

While I have illustrated a specific embodiment of my invention and have described the same as being employed in a particular manner, it will be understood that my invention may be modified in form and arrangement of parts, and that it may be adapted to different uses without departing from the spirit thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. In an electrically heated embossing device, a base plate having a chamber, insulating materia in said chamber, and an electrical heating member embedded in said insulating material. I r

2. In an electrically heated embossing device, a base plate having a chamber, a plurality of electrical heating members spaced apart and held in insulated condition in said chamber, and a switch included in an electrical circuit with said heating members and arranged to vary the number of heating members in operation, said switch and circuit being arranged to provide uniform heatin of said embossing device when a part OI the heating members only are in oporation. 3. The combination in an electrically heat ed embossing device of a base plate having a chamber, a plurality of interconnected electrical heating coils held in insulated condition in said chamber, and a switch in circuit with said heating coils, said switch being arranged to vary the number of said coils in an operative circuit.

4. In an electrically heated embossing device, a base plate having a chamber, an electrical conductor held in an insulated condition in said chamber, a cover for said Cl1fl111- er, and lugs in said chamber formed integrally with said base plate for transmitting pressure through said plate.

5. In an electrically heated embossing device, a base plate having a chamber, an electrical conductor held in an insulated condition in said chamber, a cover for said chamlugs formed integrally with said base plate and extending downwardly into said chamber for transmitting pressure through said plate, the spaces between said lugs being substantially semicircular in cross section.

6. In an electrically heated embossing device, a base plate having a chamber, an elec trical conductor held in an insulated condition in said chamber, a cover for said chamber, and lugs formed integrally with said base plate and adapted to be engaged by holding devices carried by a printing press.

In an electrically heated embossing device, a base plate having a chamber, an electrical conductor held in an insulated condition in said chamber, a cover for said chamber, lugs formed integrally with said base plate and adapted to be engaged by holding devices carried by a printing press, and other lugs formed integrally with said base plate for spacing said plate from the walls of the press.

8. In an electrically heated embossing device, a base plate having a chamber, an electrical conductor held in an insulated condition in said chamber, a cover for said chamber, lugs in said chamber formed integrally with said base plate for transmitting pressure through said plate, and spacing lugs formed integrally with said first named lugs and projecting through said cover for spacng said base plate from the bed of the printvice, a base plate having a chamber, elongated bars formedv integrally with said base.

and extending into said chamber to-transmit pressure therethrough, the spaces between said bars being substantially semicircular in 'rality of tending into said chamber, insulat ng macross section,

terial in said chamber between said Inembers, heating coils embedded in said insulat ing material in the spaces between said mernv bers, electrlcal conductors embedded in said insulating material at'the ends of said mem- 1 5 bers for connecting the heating coils, and a switch mounted on said base plate for varying' the number of heating coils in operation, said coils being connected to provide a uniform heating of said base plate when a 20 part only of the coils are in operation.

In testimony whereof, ll have subscribed my name.

JQHN n. scnnssnnn.

Witnesses:

GLEN E. Swarm Hanna A. PARK@. 

